June 18th, 2026
In May, Eastwood Collegiate Institute (ECI) and Bluevale Collegiate Institute (BCI) welcomed students and educators from Arviligruaq Ilinniarvik, a school in Kugaaruk, Nunavut.
The visit began at ECI, where Arviligruaq Ilinniarvik students joined ECI volunteers for lunch. Afterward, they set off on self-guided tours of the school, sharing stories about their communities and educational experiences along the way.
Throughout the day, students explored both the differences and similarities between their schools. They noted variations in daily routines, such as transition times between classes, while also finding common ground in hands-on learning spaces, like the small engine repair shop at Arviligruaq Ilinniarvik and the auto shop at ECI.
At BCI, the visiting students were welcomed in the library, where they participated in a “Coffee House” conversation activity. The session featured five rotating discussion tables, allowing students to connect in small groups and exchange ideas every four minutes. Following this, students toured the school, visiting areas such as the ECar Club, key student spaces, and athletic and common areas.
Reflecting on their experience, students Oscar and Aliza highlighted the visit as a meaningful and enriching learning opportunity.
Written by Aliza and Oscar, students at Eastwood Collegiate Institute.
We had an incredible experience meeting the students from Arviligruaq Ilinniarvik when they came to visit our school for the exchange program. For Oscar, his day began by going down to the ECI’s green industries room and showing the school chickens to the students from Kuugaaruk. While this is a typical activity for ECI students, it was a cool discovery for the Arviligruaq Ilinniarvik students, who had never seen chickens before.
While chatting with one of the students, Oscar heard a story about their experience of travelling out on the sea ice with their family to hunt for fish.
For Aliza, the theme of connection was reinforced when the students walked up to the third floor of the building to look at the nutrition and food room. Students in the class were busy wrapping their dough with plastic, ready for baking. It felt like an experience we had all had, connecting us despite our upbringing in different parts of Canada.
From listening to students talk about the animals that roam the tundra of the North Pole to experiencing a surprising, unexpected moment together in the third-floor kitchen, it has been evident that although we come from very different places, geographies, and cultures, our existence as humans remains the same.
#StudentVoice Series
This article is written by a WRDSB student. Student journalists embody WRDSB’s commitment to creating space for students to tell their stories. They are ambassadors for their peers as they share their personal experiences and stories about their schools and communities in their unique voices.